Paul is objecting—in interviews, statements, and opinion pieces—for the right reasons. The senator says he is afraid that several of the candidates for the position are “unrepentant” advocates for unthinking regime change and unnecessary war.2

Asked about reports that Trump is considering John Bolton, who served as George W. Bush’s ambassador to the United Nations, and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani for the secretary of state position, Paul says, “Giuliani and Bolton are out there on the extreme. I don’t think they’re very diplomatic. And I think you want the chief diplomat to be diplomatic.”3

Appearing Sunday on CBS’s Face the Nation, Paul argued that “Bolton might be better as a secretary of war, but he is certainly not a diplomat or someone who acts in a diplomatic way or thinks that diplomacy might be an alternative to war.”4

As an example, the Kentuckian noted that “Both Bolton and Giuliani have advocated for regime change in Iran, and that doesn’t sound like diplomacy—that sounds like war.”5

With the next Senate likely to include 52 Republicans and 48 Democrats and independents who caucus as Democrats, Republican skepticism about Trump Cabinet picks is a big deal. As Paul says: “It’s a very close vote.”6

If just a few Republicans dissent, and if Democrats develop spines, some of the most troubling of the president-elect’s selections could be blocked.7

Paul is prepared to dissent.8

“I’ll do whatever it takes to stop someone like John Bolton being secretary of state,” the senator says. “He’s opposed to everything Donald Trump ran on: that the Iraq war was a mistake, regime change made us less safe in the Middle East, including in Iraq…I don’t know how a President Trump could appoint someone who’s diametrically opposed to everything Donald Trump ran on.”9

5

“If you look at Giuliani’s statements, you will find he has advocated bombing Iran, he has advocated for intervention, to my knowledge he’s never admitted the Iraq war was a mistake,” Paul told Politico last week. “To me, a big part of what Donald Trump said, in hundreds of speeches, was that the Iraq war was a mistake. I don’t know how you could appoint someone to be in charge of the Department of State who believes the Iraq war was a benefit.”11

Paul does not think he will stand alone as a Republican dissenter.12

“There are several potential Republican votes against someone like a Bolton, possibly Giuliani,” Paul said on Face the Nation. “The other thing Giuliani is going to stir up is: it is going to be a hornet’s nest on all the financial stuff.”13

“I’m not sure I would call him unrepentant. I would say that he is somebody who has supported the Iraq war and I would want to hear more,” says Paul. “I think we should ask—no matter what the stature of the person, we should ask, ‘What are your beliefs? Was the Iraq war a mistake? Are you for regime change?’ ”15

Romney might pass muster.16

But if a Bolton or a Giuliani is nominated, Paul suggests that his opposition “would include all of the tools, would include the filibuster as well, but I hate to prematurely offer that up.”17

What Rand Paul does offer up is the possibility of dialogue: “What I’d like to have is a public debate. People need to ask the question: ‘Have you learned the lessons of the Iraq war?’”18

Snr Rand Paul as the voice of reason for the Good ole Boys ... whoops Grand old Party indeed illustrates the cerebral change to republican thinking with the real question to answer being the ... WHY! Seems the GOP have managed whilst pinching their all to large nostralis resulting from the Trump win to have climbed and breached the first bulwark of popularisms defence against the business as usual and elites of Washington with the turning of some of the Donald's headline "will do's" and thus changing them into the "nothing will alter or change ministries" hence the comments of Paul and others who with 52plus million other Americans voted for and brazenly and bravely did so in what now seems to be the misled and misguided placed faith that the clean out , the draining of the fetid swamp and the flushing of the turds that comprised the political sewer that over the past dozen or so years passed itself off as government in action or as more colloquially is known to be and that is ....... Washington the centre of global democracy in action would finally get the serve and the message and the new reality so long awaited and wished for by the "52+m" that the only new reality to have been realised is that as always happens the promises made being the vanguard of change to be enacted that held the hope , joy and ultimate happiness for so many of the 52+m and that exhausted the only thing of any value they could contribute or bestow the Donald being their 1 solitary and sacred vote , the one thing so sacrosanct that when combined with 52+m others propelled him at warp speed past the liberals and into the white house , that single vote being the cause of argument , divergent opinion , heated debate , turning one agin the other but nevertheless given in true belief that finally , finally their time was here ....... now only to suffer the igonimy and death by a thousand cuts to their long awaited time that had come but that in a speed greater than that to be imagined believable unless you witnessed and lived it yourself , the turning in and back to that path so well trodden that it seems so cruel to have gotten so close but to now realise that not much will be changing after all , that like the poor child who unable to afford the fare stands in the doorway filling up on the smell of that freshly baked days bread knowing not today but ........ one day .. maybe .....

(2)(1)

Richard Strawsays:

November 22, 2016 at 6:49 am

The only Republican with a lick of sense about militarism-and a head and shoulders above most Democrats on this issue

(42)(3)

Fred Carusosays:

November 22, 2016 at 2:18 am

Rand Paul might become the second most important Republican.

(30)(2)

Robert Andrewssays:

November 21, 2016 at 5:57 pm

A hawk is going to become Secretary of State period. There is no-way a Libertarian is going to become our top diplomat, let alone a progressive. It only appears that we may be able to scale back how divisive a Secretary they select. Just hope/pray that the Industrial Military Complex doesn't toast the planet making a buck with the smorgasborg of opportunities provided on a silver platter.

(10)(2)

Andrew Rowesays:

November 21, 2016 at 12:52 pm

There are few better bellweathers to how absolutely fucked the Republican Party has become that Rand Fucking Paul is now the voice of reason.

(45)(6)

Harry Berger Jrsays:

November 21, 2016 at 8:18 pm

You'd persuade me more if you fucked less.

(15)(6)

Hunter Van Valkenburghsays:

November 21, 2016 at 11:57 am

I don't agree with Sen. Paul on much, but he is right on the money here.